Unions Trade Barbs Over Violent Factory Strike

7 June 2013
The Cambodia Daily
Clothes / Economy and commerce / Garments and textiles / Industries / Manufacturing / Unions
CCAWDU / CCAWDU vice president Kong Athit / Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers / Free Trade Union / Free Trade Union Members / FTU / FTU members / Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia / garments / GMAC / Kompong Spue / Kompong Spue province / Kong Athit / Nike / protest arrests / protests / Sabrina (Cambodia) Garment MFG Corp / Sabrina Factory president Susan Chen / Sabrina Garment Factory / Samraong Tong district / Strikes / Susan Chen / trade unions / US / violent protests / wage increase / wages / workers unions

Two rival workers unions continued to trade barbs Thursday, each blaming the other for a violent clash between striking garment workers and police at a factory in Kompong Speu province on Monday that saw eight people arrested. The Free Trade Union (FTU) has led strikes for higher pay at Sabrina (Cambodia) Garment MFG Corp.—which produces clothes for U.S. sports giant Nike—in Samraong Tong district since May 21. On Monday, eight people linked to the FTU were arrested and charged after workers stormed the factory’s compound. The Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers (CCAWDU)- of which the majority are members, but which has not backed the strike- held a news conference yesterday to reject claims it had instigated violence. … For their part GMAC [Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia] called for zero tolerance from the government toward violent strikes. …

http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/unions-trade-barbs-over-violent-factory-strike-29833/